Most of John Harbaugh's fondest childhood memories revolve around football. Playing in a pole vault sand pit next to the football field at an Ohio high school where his father, Jack, was putting the team through its summer practices. Being taped to the goal posts — along with his brother, Jim — by players at Michigan when their father was a member of legendary Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler's staff. Todd Haley has similar recollections. Growing up in Pittsburgh, where his father, Dick, was player personal director for the Steelers during their run of four Super Bowl championships in the 1970s, Haley often watched tape of college players his father was scouting, spent his summers in various roles at training camp in Latrobe and, when he was old enough, helped move the chains at Three Rivers Stadium.

Imparting knowledge about strategy, needling referees and providing timely jokes or a touch of sternness, Ravens coach John Harbaugh has quickly built a reputation for his intensity and winning. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin commands respect with the gravitas of a Super Bowl ring, displaying a swagger evident on both the sideline and during his authoritative news conferences. When the Ravens and the Steelers square off Sunday night in another pivotal AFC North clash, the respective imprints of Harbaugh and Tomlin will be on full display.

TEMPE, Ariz. - After four quarters of calling plays Sunday in the biggest football game of his life, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley made his most meaningful call of the day. He speed-dialed his dad. "I always call him when I'm driving in, and I always call him right after," Haley, 41, said Monday, a day after the Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles to secure a spot in their first Super Bowl. "He just gives me his synopsis of it. He's just a great football person.

No room for sentimentality Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune There is only one way the Steelers should bring back Hines Ward next season — if they believe he can make them a better team. There is no room for sentimentality or loyalty in the NFL. There is only room for progress. And judging by how the 2011 season went, my guess is the Steelers believe they will be better served using Ward's roster spot on a younger player. If Ward is going to be a bit player on offense, as he was last season, he would need to be a key contributor on special teams.

It's hard to get too worked up about the preseason on either end of the spectrum, but the Ravens managed to ruffle some feathers Friday night. In the final minute of the 31-13 preseason win over the Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium, Ravens quarterback Hunter Cantwell threw a long pass to rookie receiver LaQuan Williams, then the Ravens called a pair of timeouts so their third-stringers could tack on another touchdown. Kansas City coach Todd Haley apparently wasn't pleased about the late score, and at the podium after the game, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh offered an apology to Haley and the Chiefs and explained his mindset.

Chiefs have issues Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune The Chiefs really need a win over the Lions. Kansas City was coming off a 10-win season and was supposed to take the next step in Todd Haley's third year. They were favored to beat the Bills at home and instead were shellacked 41-7. They also lost safety Eric Berry, one of the better players on the roster. If the Chiefs start out 0-2, the chances of starting out 0-3 are pretty good, because their next game is in San Diego.

No room for sentimentality Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune There is only one way the Steelers should bring back Hines Ward next season — if they believe he can make them a better team. There is no room for sentimentality or loyalty in the NFL. There is only room for progress. And judging by how the 2011 season went, my guess is the Steelers believe they will be better served using Ward's roster spot on a younger player. If Ward is going to be a bit player on offense, as he was last season, he would need to be a key contributor on special teams.

Brian Dawkins needs no introduction in Philadelphia. But he's getting one anyway. At the request of the Broncos, Dawkins and the rest of the Denver defense will be introduced individually before Sunday's game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles complied, honoring the wish of Dawkins, a seven-time Pro Bowl safety who's among the most popular players in Eagles history. Dawkins signed with the Broncos in February after 13 seasons with the Eagles during which he broke Harold Carmichael's club record of 180 games played.

Todd Haley is focused on the future but drawing inspiration from the past. The Chiefs coach, whose 0-1 team visits the Lions on Sunday, is at a pivotal moment in his career. His team needs to make a better showing than it did in a 41-7 loss to the Bills in its opener and must do so without second-year safety Eric Berry , one of its best players. He's done for the season with a knee injury. Haley spoke to his team before Wednesday's practice and, for inspiration, invoked two up-from-the-rubble teams: the 1989 Steelers and 1999 Jets.

— The entire football-watching world knows about the Baltimore defense that will play against the Chiefs on Sunday in a first-round playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Ravens are big and physical, tough against the run and feature four Pro Bowlers, including fiery linebacker Ray Lewis. The defensive Chiefs are still a mystery, even in their own locker room. Several defensive players, asked the identity of their unit, had different answers. The Chiefs have no defensive Pro Bowl players.

Todd Haley is focused on the future but drawing inspiration from the past. The Chiefs coach, whose 0-1 team visits the Lions on Sunday, is at a pivotal moment in his career. His team needs to make a better showing than it did in a 41-7 loss to the Bills in its opener and must do so without second-year safety Eric Berry , one of its best players. He's done for the season with a knee injury. Haley spoke to his team before Wednesday's practice and, for inspiration, invoked two up-from-the-rubble teams: the 1989 Steelers and 1999 Jets.

Chiefs have issues Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune The Chiefs really need a win over the Lions. Kansas City was coming off a 10-win season and was supposed to take the next step in Todd Haley's third year. They were favored to beat the Bills at home and instead were shellacked 41-7. They also lost safety Eric Berry, one of the better players on the roster. If the Chiefs start out 0-2, the chances of starting out 0-3 are pretty good, because their next game is in San Diego.

It's hard to get too worked up about the preseason on either end of the spectrum, but the Ravens managed to ruffle some feathers Friday night. In the final minute of the 31-13 preseason win over the Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium, Ravens quarterback Hunter Cantwell threw a long pass to rookie receiver LaQuan Williams, then the Ravens called a pair of timeouts so their third-stringers could tack on another touchdown. Kansas City coach Todd Haley apparently wasn't pleased about the late score, and at the podium after the game, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh offered an apology to Haley and the Chiefs and explained his mindset.

Judging by the smiling faces and relentless trash-talking going on, it was Camp Happy for the Ravens at the Castle on Sunday, even with practice moved indoors because of the apocalyptic-looking thunderstorms moving through Owings Mills. No, it wouldn't do to have a player fried by a bolt of lightning during, say, a routine 7-on-7 drill. So coach John Harbaugh wisely moved the team into the indoor facility, which is the size of a NATO air base and about as cozy. As the storm raged outside, a few members of the media speculated on whether we were about to witness something like what happened to the Dallas Cowboys a couple of years ago, when their indoor practice "bubble" collapsed during a storm and falling debris injured players and staffers.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — While instructing the Chiefs quarterbacks, Jim Zorn ducked and dipped his shoulders, shifted his hips, pump-faked the football and nimbly moved his feet. It was just as he did in his days as a scrambling passer for the expansion Seattle Seahawks. And just as he was depicted in a poster on the bedroom wall of a young Todd Haley. "I thought he was a cool lefty who played hard and looked cool in the new-fangled Seattle uniform …" Haley said admiringly of Zorn, the Chiefs' new quarterbacks coach.

Most of John Harbaugh's fondest childhood memories revolve around football. Playing in a pole vault sand pit next to the football field at an Ohio high school where his father, Jack, was putting the team through its summer practices. Being taped to the goal posts — along with his brother, Jim — by players at Michigan when their father was a member of legendary Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler's staff. Todd Haley has similar recollections. Growing up in Pittsburgh, where his father, Dick, was player personal director for the Steelers during their run of four Super Bowl championships in the 1970s, Haley often watched tape of college players his father was scouting, spent his summers in various roles at training camp in Latrobe and, when he was old enough, helped move the chains at Three Rivers Stadium.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — While instructing the Chiefs quarterbacks, Jim Zorn ducked and dipped his shoulders, shifted his hips, pump-faked the football and nimbly moved his feet. It was just as he did in his days as a scrambling passer for the expansion Seattle Seahawks. And just as he was depicted in a poster on the bedroom wall of a young Todd Haley. "I thought he was a cool lefty who played hard and looked cool in the new-fangled Seattle uniform …" Haley said admiringly of Zorn, the Chiefs' new quarterbacks coach.

Shortly before the start of what would be his final season coaching the Chiefs, Herm Edwards called a meeting for many of his best young players: Tamba Hali, Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles, Glenn Dorsey, Brandon Flowers and others. Perhaps sensing he wouldn't be their coach much longer, Edwards told those players that the Chiefs eventually would be built around them. "They were going to be the foundation of this football team down the road, and I told them that," said Edwards, now an analyst on ESPN.

— The entire football-watching world knows about the Baltimore defense that will play against the Chiefs on Sunday in a first-round playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Ravens are big and physical, tough against the run and feature four Pro Bowlers, including fiery linebacker Ray Lewis. The defensive Chiefs are still a mystery, even in their own locker room. Several defensive players, asked the identity of their unit, had different answers. The Chiefs have no defensive Pro Bowl players.

Almost two years have passed since Anquan Boldin and Todd Haley got involved in a shouting match on the sideline of the NFC championship game. Boldin, however, insists that he doesn't have to clear the air with Haley because there's nothing to clear. "It wasn't a problem then, and it's not a problem now," Boldin said. "That's something that happens almost every week in the NFL. Like I said, we buried that then, and we're OK. " Boldin, the Ravens wide receiver, and Haley, the Kansas City Chiefs coach, confronted each other on the sideline during the Arizona Cardinals' game-winning touchdown drive against the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2008 NFC championship game.